* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. HOW Y'ALL [00:00:01] DOING? . HEY, HOW ARE YOU? THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY. JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO OVER THE DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT METER READING, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS TALK TO CUSTOMERS EVERY DAY. UM, WANTED TO PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHOW YOU GUYS IN THE FIELD OF WHAT YOU'RE EXPLAINING TO CUSTOMERS, UM, AS IT RELATES TO LIKE CONSISTENT BILLING, UM, READING METERS TO DISPEL DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT WHEN YOU HAVE MUD COVERING THE, THE FACE OF THE GLASS. HOW DO WE READ THE METERS IN THAT CASE? HOW DO WE GET ACCURATE PICTURES AFTER A READ? AND JUST KIND OF PUT, YOU KNOW, GIVE CUSTOMERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THE POSITION OF WHERE THEIR METER IS IN RELATION TO THE STOP AND WASTE IN THEIR HOUSE. SO IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW, THAT'S A METER BOX. IT'S A OVAL BOXES, USUALLY IN FRONT OF THE CUSTOMER'S HOME. WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT METER BOXES, SOME BIG, SOME SMALL. THIS IS OUR STANDARD METER BOX THAT YOU'LL SEE AT, AT, I WOULD SAY 60% OF THE HOUSES IN JEFFERSON PARISH. AND THE POSITION OF THIS METER BOX CAN BE FROM ANYWHERE BETWEEN THE, IN THE DRIVEWAY AREA IN FRONT OF THE SIDEWALK. SOMETIMES THEY COULD BE BEHIND THE SIDEWALK. THEY COULD BE TO THE LEFT IN THE GRASS. THEY COULD BE TO THE RIGHT OF THE GRASS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FRONT SCREEN WHEN Y'ALL TALKING TO CUSTOMERS, IT'LL GIVE YOU THE POSITION OF THE METER BOX OF THE HOUSE. AND I, AND I'M, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THIS ONE IS PROBABLY JUST GONNA SAY LEFT YARD. YEP. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE, THE MIDDLE, USUALLY THE PEAK OF THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS THE, THE DIVIDING LINE OF THE PROPERTY. AND YOU'RE REALLY GOING OFF OF THE PROPERTY. SO IF YOU METERS TO THE LEFT OF THE DIVIDING LINE OF THE PROPERTY, IT'S THE LEFT YARD. SO WE HAVE SOME METERS THAT ARE ON THE LEFT SIDE THAT COULD BE ON THE SIDE STREET, THE RIGHT YARD. IT COULD BE UP IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE YARD. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FRONT SCREEN AND THE CUSTOMER ASKS YOU A QUESTION OF WHERE THE METER'S LOCATED, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FRONT SCREEN AND BE ABLE TO TELL THEM WHERE IT IS. SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF POP THE METER BOX AND KIND OF SHOW YOU GUYS THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE METER AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES FROM HOW THE WATER COMES FROM THE MAIN LINE INTO THE METER. AND IT LEAVES THE METER AND GOES TO THE HOUSE. SO IF YOU COME CLOSE IN THE FRONT OF THE METER, THIS IS THE FRONT OF THE METER AND THIS IS THE BACK OF THE METER. THE FRONT OF THE METER IS YOUR SERVICE LINE THAT COMES FROM THE MAIN LINE. EVERY STREET, WELL, MAJORITY OF THE STREETS HAVE A MAIN LINE, LIKE A WATER MAIN THAT GOES DOWN THE STREET. AND EACH, EACH HOUSE HAS A SERVICE, A SERVICE LINE THAT CAN RANGE FROM SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THREE QUARTER INCH TO TWO INCHES. A SERVICE LINE GOING TO THE METER ITSELF. SO THE FRONT OF THE BOX IS THE METER. THE NEXT PART THAT THE, THAT GOES IS TOWARD THE CURB STOP. THIS IS HOW WE SHUT THE, THE METER OFF. UM, IF RIGHT NOW THE METERS THE, UH, CURB STOP IS IN THE ON POSITION, IF WE WERE TO TURN THIS AND PUT AND LINE THESE TWO HOLES UP, IT'S GONNA BE IN THE OFF POSITION. AND IN MOST CASES, YOU HEAR ABOUT LOCKED BLIND OR REMOVE METER. SO IN THIS CASE, IF WE WAS TO LINE THESE TWO HOLES UP, AND WE WOULD PUT A PAD LOCK IN BETWEEN HERE, WHAT IT'S CALLED, LOCKING THE METER. OKAY, GOTCHA. SO WE, WE WOULD CALL SOME LOCK BLINDS. WE WOULD CALL BLIND THE METER. WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS YOU WOULD UNSCREW IT ON THE BACK OF THE CURB STOP, WHICH WE CALL A COUPLING RIGHT HERE. AND YOU WOULD STICK A QUARTER SIZE PAD IN THE INSIDE OF IT AND, AND CLOSE IT BACK. AND THAT'S CALLED BLINDING THE METER. AND THEN MOST CASES, EXTREME CASES, WE HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO, YOU KNOW, WOULD BREAK THE METER OR TAKE IT OUT. WE WOULD CALL REMOVE METER. AND WE WOULD REMOVE, REMOVE THIS ENTIRE METER, PUT IT BACK ON THE TRUCK, AND THEN REMOVE THIS ENTIRE SERVICE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MAIN. SO THERE'S NO, NO, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEAL WATER AT THAT POINT. SO GIVEN THAT THIS IS THE FRONT OF THE METER, THE CURB STOP, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE METER COUPLING, WHICH IS IN THE BACK OF THE CURB STOP. THIS IS THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SIDE AND THE PUBLIC SIDE OF, OF THE RESPONSIBILITY. SO ANYTHING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CURB STOP GOING TO THE, INTO THE STREET IS THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSIBILITY. WE WOULD MAKE ALL REPAIRS IF THERE'S ANY LEAKS TO THIS LINE, BUT IF THERE WAS ANY BRAKES OR ANY LEAKAGE BEYOND THE, THE METER COUPLING GOING TO THE HOUSE IS THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE REPAIRS. SO IN MOST CASES, WHEN YOU HAVE LEAKS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE METER, IT'S GONNA AFFECT YOUR BILL. 'CAUSE REMEMBER THE WATER GOES FROM THE MAIN LINE THROUGH THE METER AND IT COMES OUT THE BACK. SO ANY BREAKAGE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BETWEEN THE, THE METER, THE BACK OF THE METER AND THE HOUSE, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE CUSTOMER'S BILL. ANY BREAKAGE THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE METER IS NOT ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE METER. IT'S LEAKING OUT BEFORE IT HITS THE METER. SO IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE CUSTOMER. SO THE NEXT THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS THE ACTUAL METER ITSELF. SO TYPICALLY EVERY METER IS GONNA HAVE A COVER ON IT LIKE THIS. AND WHAT YOU FIND ON TOP OF THE COVER IS THE METER NUMBER ITSELF. THAT'S HOW WE VERIFY THE READING IS CORRECT VERSUS, VERSUS THE METER THAT WE'RE READING. WE TAKE A PICTURE OF THE READING AND WE TAKE A PICTURE OF THE, THE NUMBER ITSELF. YOU CAN FIND THAT NUMBER ON TOP OF THE, UM, CAP. YOU CAN FIND THAT NUMBER BELOW THE CAP. AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND THAT NUMBER ON THE BODY OF THE METER ITSELF. SO WE, WE INSTRUCT TROUBLESHOOTERS TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE METER NUMBER AND THE READING ITSELF, SO WE CAN VERIFY THAT EVERYTHING IS [00:05:01] CONSISTENT WITH, WITH THE READING THAT WE PICK UP. SO NOW I WANNA POINT OUT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS THAT WE READ. SO WE READ THESE NUMBERS, WE READ THE WHITE NUMBERS. MM-HMM, , UM, SOME METERS HAVE THREE WHITE NUMBERS. SOME METERS HAVE FOUR WHITE NUMBERS. WE BILL BY, WE BILL PER THOUSAND GALLONS. SO IF YOU WERE, IF YOU WERE TO COUNT THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE DECIMAL POINT, YOUR ONES, YOUR TENS, YOUR HUNDREDS, AND YOUR THOUSANDS PLACED, WE START READING THERE. AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, BUILD A CUSTOMER PER THOUSAND GALLONS. UM, THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS YOU SEE THE, THE RED SPINNING, THE RED, UM, SPIRAL. MM-HMM, , THAT'S CALLED LEAK DETECTION. SO IF A CUSTOMER HAD A LEAK IN THEIR HOME OR, OR LEAK BEHIND A METER, THAT WOULD SPIN. UM, AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT IN A, IN A LITTLE BIT, UM, OF, OF LEAK DETECTION. UM, SO THAT'S WHEN THEY PUT NO REG MM-HMM, , YES. YEAH. THAT'S WHY IT SAYS NO. WAIT. SO, SO TYPICALLY FOR A WORK ORDER, UM, WHEN IT'S, WHEN IT COMES BACK TO THE OFFICE, WE WOULD SAY EITHER HAS REGISTRATION OR IT HAS NO REGISTRATION. MM-HMM. . UM, AND TYPICALLY IF, IF IT'S PUT ON THERE, NO REG, THAT MEANS IT'S LIKELY THAT THAT PERSON HAS NO ACTIVE LEAKAGE AT THE TIME WE VISITED THE PROPERTY. OH, I SEE. SO NOW WHAT I WANT TO WANT YOU GUYS TO SEE IS THAT WE'RE SIMULATING A LEAK IN THE PROPERTY. MM-HMM. . SO WHAT WE DO IS WE COME TO THE METER AND WE WILL SIT HERE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND WE WILL OBSERVE THE SPIRAL SPINNING. IF WE SEE THE, THE, THE SPIRAL SPINNING FOR A CONSISTENT PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S SAFE TO SAY, UM, THERE'S A LEAK IN THE PROPERTY. UM, TYPICALLY WE'RE GONNA SIT HERE LONGER THAN IT TAKES A TOILET TO FLUSH. OKAY? UM, A LOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES A CYCLE. AND WHEN YOU ARE WASHING DISHES OR IF YOU'RE WASHING YOUR CLOTHES, WE'LL TRY TO SIT HERE TO, UH, TO LET YOU KNOW, SEE HOW LONG IT GONNA SPEND. IF IT'S GONNA SPEND FOR A ABNORMAL LONG TIME, THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE'S POSSIBLY A LEAK IN THE HOUSE. AND ESPECIALLY IF WE, IF WE VISIBLY SEE THERE'S NO ONE HOME, IF WE KNOCK ON THE DOOR, THAT MEANS NO ONE SHOULD BE IN THE HOUSE USING WATER. IT'S MOST LIKELY THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF LEAK THAT THEY'RE UNAWARE OF. SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO TELL IF THERE'S SOME TYPE OF LEAKAGE, YOU KNOW, IN SOMEONE'S HOME. AND WE WILL PUT REGISTRATION ON A WORK ORDER SAYING, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR LIKE CONTINUOUS USAGE. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO ANOTHER WAY THAT WE READ METERS IS THAT WE READ FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, THE WHITE NUMBERS THAT I POINTED OUT EARLIER. UM, CAN SOMEONE LOOK AT THAT AND TELL ME WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE ON THE METER RIGHT NOW? THE WHITE NUMBERS? I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON. 31 IS ZERO. 0 31. YEAH. 0, 0 31. 0 0 31. SO I'M GLAD YOU, I'M GLAD YOU TOOK YOUR FINGER AND DID THAT, THAT, SO THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER POINT. SO YOU SEE THAT, THAT THIN LAYER OF MUD OF, UH, OF DIRT AROUND THE GLASS OF THE METER. SO THIS IS WHAT WE GET WHEN YOU MANUALLY READ METERS IN, IN THE JEFFERSON PARISH TOPOGRAPHY WHEN IT COMES TO TO DIRT, WE HAVE A REAL SOFT DIRT HERE. SO ANYTIME IT RAINS, THIS METER BOX WILL FILL UP WITH WATER. UM, AND THEN IT'LL GO BACK DOWN. AND WHAT IT LEAVES IS A THIN LAYER OF DIRT OVER THE TOP OF THE GLASS. SO YOU COULD JUST IMAGINE HOW MANY TIMES IT RAINS, HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE MORNING DEW, WE HAVE CONDENSATION IN A TWO MONTH PERIOD 'CAUSE WE BILL EVERY TWO MONTHS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF A, USUALLY WE GET QUESTIONS FROM CUSTOMERS, WELL, SOMEBODY HASN'T BEEN HERE IN, IN MONTHS AND WHICH IS A TRUE STATEMENT BECAUSE WE READ EVERY TWO MONTHS ANYWAY. SO IN THAT TWO MONTH PERIOD BY RAIN AND WATER GOING UP AND DOWN IN THIS METER, IT LEAVES A THIN LAYER OF DIRT ON TOP OF THE GLASS. AND WHAT METER READERS NORMALLY WOULD DO, THEY WOULD COME HERE, THEY WOULD TAKE THEIR FINGER OR TAKE SOME TYPE OF RAG AND THEY WOULD JUST WIPE ACROSS THE FRONT OF IT SO THEY COULD SEE THE NUMBERS AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. IT'S PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPECT THE METER READER TO COME HERE AND CLEAN OUT THIS ENTIRE BOX AND DO THIS 300 TIMES A DAY TO BE ABLE TO GET US READINGS THAT WE NEED ON A DAILY BASIS. SO IT WAS GOOD THAT YOU DID THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A TYPICAL METER READER WOULD HAVE TO COME AND DO TO GET A READ. BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A, A THIN LAYER OF DIRT ON TOP OF THE METER AND IT'S HARD TO READ THAT WAY. SO WE COME AND WE TAKE A, YOU KNOW, A RAG OR SOMETHING AND WIPE IT OFF AND, AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. SO WHICH, WHAT NUMBER DID YOU, UM, PICK UP? 31. 31. SO LOOK AT YOUR FRONT SCREEN OF YOUR, UH, OF THE PAPER THAT YOU HAVE. WHAT WAS THE LAST NUMBER THAT WAS READ ON THIS, ON THIS METER? 27. SO IF YOU HAD TO KNOW HOW MUCH WATER WAS USED SINCE, UM, SEPTEMBER 29TH, HOW MANY GALLONS OF WATER WAS USED SINCE THEN? IT'S 4,000. 4,000. 4,000 GALLONS. WOULD YOU SAY 4,000 GALLONS IS WITHIN NORMAL USAGE OF THIS HOME? NOW TAKING, TAKING ACCOUNT, DID WE READ EVERY TWO MONTHS? SO THE LAST TIME SOMEBODY WAS HERE WAS SEPTEMBER 29TH. MM-HMM. . SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEBODY SHOULD BE HERE IS AROUND NOVEMBER 29TH. SOMEWHERE IN THAT, IN THAT AREA TO MAKE IT A TWO MONTH, TWO MONTH BILL. MM-HMM. . SO WOULD YOU THINK 4,000 GALLONS IS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE OF USAGE OR NOT? YEAH. SO THAT'S HOW WE, AND THAT'S HOW I WANT YOU GUYS TO EXPLAIN TO CUSTOMERS. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT READING, WHETHER IT'S AN AB REPORT THAT COME IN THE PICTURE, YOU KNOW, THE F 12 SCREEN WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE. YOU [00:10:01] LOOK AT, OKAY, THE READING THAT WAS THIS ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY. ALRIGHT, WELL, LET ME DO THE MATH IN MY HEAD AND SAY, OKAY, THIS PERSON IS USING THIS AMOUNT OF WATER WITHIN THE, WITHIN THEIR NORMAL, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THEIR NORMAL RANGE. IS THIS HIGH OR LOW? AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THE CUSTOMER, OKAY, NO MA'AM, SOMETHING'S GOING ON AT YOUR, AT YOUR HOUSE. YOU USE MORE WATER THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD USE. AND THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION WE WANT TO HAVE WITH CUSTOMERS BASED ON THE PICTURE THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET THAT, WHEN WE GET THAT BACK FROM THE FIELD. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE PICTURES. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PICTURE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO A CUSTOMER, PLEASE ASK, YOU KNOW, SEND A WORKOUT OUT TO GET ONE. UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S HOW WE GET AN ACCURATE READ WHEN IT COMES TO THE METER. UM, I WANNA ALSO MOVE TO THE HOUSE TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A IDEA OF WHERE THE WATER GOES FROM THAT POINT. AND JUST REMEMBER WHAT I SAID. EVERYTHING THAT'S FROM THE BACKSIDE OF THE CURB STOP, MEANING THE METER COUPLING IS THE, UH, THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE SIDE OF A CUSTOMER'S HOME. THIS IS WHERE THE WATER GOES FROM THE BACK OF THE METER INTO THE CUSTOMER'S HOME ITSELF. RIGHT HERE IS THE PIPE THAT COMES FROM THE BACK OF THE METER. THE LINE GOES UNDER THE DRIVEWAY ALL THE WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, TO THE BOTTOM PART RIGHT HERE. THE WATER GOES UP AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE HOUSE. SO THIS IS THE PART WHERE WE CALL A SPIGOT SOMEBODY. USUALLY THEY WOULD CALL IT A WATER HOSE. UM, IT'S DIFFERENT NAMES FOR IT, BUT WE CALL IT THE SPIGOT IN OUR OFFICE. AND WHAT WE CALL HERE IS A STOP AND WASTE VALVES. SO THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF STOP WASTE VALVES. YOU CAN HAVE THIS TYPE A HANDLE OR YOU COULD HAVE LIKE A, A ROUND SPROCKET WHERE YOU CAN TURN IT TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE WATER OFF AND ON. RIGHT NOW WITH THE, UM, WITH THIS CURB STOP BEING VERTICAL WITH THE PIPE, IT'S, IT'S IN THE ON POSITION. IF WE WERE TO TURN THIS LIKE THIS, IT'LL BE IN THE OFF POSITION AND WE STOP ALL THE WATER FROM GOING INTO THE HOUSE. BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN. WE RECOMMEND IF THEY HAVING ISSUES IN THE HOME THAT THEY NEED TO SHUT THE WATER OFF. WE HAVE, WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY COME OUT HERE AND TURN THE STOP AND WASTE OFF. OKAY. AND ALSO WE TURN IT OFF. IF WE CAME AND SAY FOR INSTANCE, CUSTOMER WAS DISCONNECTED AND WE WANTED TO TURN THEM BACK ON AND WE DIDN'T WANT WATER TO GO INTO THE HOUSE AND FLOOD THE HOUSE, WE WOULD COME AND TURN IT OFF RIGHT HERE. SO IF A CUSTOMER CAME HOME AND SAID, Y'ALL WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN MY WATER ON, WHY IS MY WATER NOT ON? WE WOULD TELL 'EM, CAN YOU PLEASE GO OUTSIDE AND CHECK YOUR STOP AND WASTE AND MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE OFF PO. MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE ON POSITION. SO, AND, UM, NO, WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THIS IS A COPPER LINE. SO THIS HOUSE HAS COPPER FROM THE BACK OF THE METER GOING INTO THE HOUSE. SO ANOTHER WAY TO TEST IT, YOU WOULD HAVE LIKE A, A PENNY OR A SHARP KNIFE AND YOU, YOU WOULD SCRATCH IT. IT IT'S GONNA SHINE LIKE A PENNY. OKAY, I SEE IT NOW. SO ANY, ANY QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE STOP WASTE? NO. NOPE. SO IT'S ALWAYS ON ALL ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, OBVIOUSLY. YES, FOR THE MOST PART. THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE TOO. OH, OKAY. BUT EVERY HOME TYPICALLY HAS A STOP AND WASTE STOP AND WAIT, UNLESS IT'S, UNLESS IT'S LIKE A REALLY, REALLY OLD HOME. AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SHUT IT OFF AT THAT POINT IS, IS AT THE METER. OKAY. IN MOST CASES, NOT ALL THE SPIGOT, OUTSIDE SPIGOT, IT ALIGNS WITH THE METER. SO FOR THOSE THAT GO OUT AND READ METERS, WE KIND OF LOOK TO SEE WHERE THE WATER'S COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. AND IN SOME, YOU KNOW, IN MOST SITUATIONS THEY'LL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE METER FROM THERE. SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LINES, UH, THAT WE USE IN JEFFERSON PARENTS? I KNOW YOU USE COPPER LINE, BUT I KNOW PLASTIC TUBING. YEAH, SO, SO RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE USE A PLASTIC TUBING. IT'S A PE TUBING. THAT'S WHAT WE, WE ONLY INSTALL SERVICES WITH PE TUBING. UM, BUT THE, UH, PLUMBER, THE PERSON THAT CONSTRUCTED THE HOME OR THE, OR THE CONTRACTOR, IT'S THEIR CHOICE WHAT THEY USE AT THAT POINT. TYPICALLY, RIGHT NOW, THEY ONLY USE PLASTIC OR A COPPER LINE. THAT'S WHAT'S USED IN JEFFERSON PARISH NOW. UM, BUT PRIOR TO 1988, CUSTOMERS USED A LOT OF GALVANIZING LEAD LINES IN THEIR, IN THEIR SERVICES. UM, I KNOW IN JEFFERSON PARISH, FOR THE MOST PART, BEFORE THAT, IN THE SEVENTIES, WE, WE STARTED USING COPPER LINES FOR OUR SERVICES. BUT EVEN NOW WE'RE REPLACING THOSE WITH, WITH PLASTIC TUBING. SO THOSE ARE LIKE USUALLY THE MAJOR TYPES OF LINES YOU'LL FIND IN GALVANIZED LEAD FOR YOUR OLDER HOMES AND, UM, COPPER FOR YOUR HOMES THAT WERE BUILT LIKE IN THE SEVENTIES GOING FORWARD AND, AND NOW IT'S ALL PLASTIC. OKAY. SO ONE, ONE THING I DO WANNA POINT OUT, UM, WE DID SIMULATE A LEAK, BUT I WANT TO GO BRING EVERYBODY BACK TO THE METER AND I WANT, HE'S GONNA SIMULATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEAKS THAT YOU CAN HAVE IN YOUR HOME AND HOW FAST THAT LEAK DETECTION IS GONNA SPIN ON TOP OF THE METER. OKAY. AND, AND, AND YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WITH A PIN WHAT A PIN DROP OF WATER'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. SO Y'ALL SEE HOW IT'S SPINNING? MM-HMM. . NOW IF YOU GO LOOK AT THE, UM, SPIGOT ON SIDE OF THE HOME, HE'S SIMULATING WHAT A LEAK LOOKS LIKE, HOW MUCH WATER IT TAKES FOR YOUR METER JUST TO CONSTANTLY RUN. SO JUST IMAGINE YOU HAVE [00:15:01] THIS AMOUNT OF WATER GOING DOWN YOUR DRAIN, GOING DOWN YOUR TOILET EVERY DAY. YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR TOILET'S LEAKING, YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR FLAP IS LEAKING, BUT YOU HAVE THIS AMOUNT OF WATER LEAKING 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR A TWO MONTH PERIOD. THAT'S THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER THAT'S LEAKED OUT IN A, IN A TWO MONTH PERIOD. SO TYPICALLY PEOPLE HAVE THESE LEAKS IN THEIR HOME BEHIND A WALL, UNDER A SLAB, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE A LEAK LIKE THIS OR A LITTLE BIT LESS AND YOU CAN HAVE A REALLY HOT SUMMER AND IT'S GONNA DRY IT UP IF IT'S A LEAK OUTSIDE YOUR HOME AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT'S THERE. WELL, SPEAKING OF UNDER THE SLAB, HOW WOULD A PLUMBER OR WHOMEVER GET IN THERE TO DETECT IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON? THEY'VE THE TUNNEL. OH, HAVE THE TUNNEL. I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER WAYS OF DOING IT. THE VIBRATION. OH. UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT I KNOW HOW TO, I COULD PUT MY AIR TO THE WATER LINE. I COULD HEAR IT. OH, OKAY. UM, IT'S JUST, IT DEPENDS ON HOW EXPERIENCED THE, THE PLUMBER IS. OKAY. DO YOU MIND, UM, TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WATER TABLE, UH, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS, UH, LEAK? SO TO THE WATER TABLE? UM, SO TYPICALLY WE HAVE ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, LEAKAGE. NOT EVEN JUST AT THE CUSTOMER'S HOME, BUT IN THE FIELD WHEN WE HAVE WATER, A LOT OF WATERLINE BREAKS. SO IN THE SUMMERTIME, UM, WELL JEFFERSON PARISH IS LIKE BELOW SEA LEVEL. SO WE LIVE IN, IT IS LIKE A WATER TABLE. WE HAVE A HIGH WATER TABLE HERE AT JEFFERSON PARISH. THAT'S WHY OUR GROUND IS SO MOIST. LIKE IF YOU WERE TO DIG SIX INCHES BELOW THIS GROUND, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY SOFT BECAUSE THAT'S JUST MOISTURE. SO IF WE HAVE LIKE A, UM, IN THE SUMMERTIME, IF WE HAD NO RAIN, SO THE WATER TABLE WOULD DROP, THAT MEAN YOUR GROUND WOULD BE DRIER AND YOUR WATER TABLE WOULD BE A LOT LOWER. BUT WHAT THAT CAUSES IS CAUSE A SHIFT IN THE GROUND. SO WHAT, WHEN YOU HAVE A DROP IN THE WATER TABLE AND, AND THEN YOUR OWN GROUND BECOMES REALLY HARD, IT'S SHIFTING, IT'S SHIFTING OVER ITSELF BECAUSE THE MOISTURE IS LEAVING IT. AND WHAT THAT CAUSES IS BREAKS IN THE WATER LINE. IF YOU HAVE A SMALL WATER LINE LIKE THIS GOING TO YOUR HOME, IF YOU HAVE SO MANY OF THOSE SHIFTS, IT'LL EVENTUALLY PUT STRESS ON THE WATER LINE AND IT, IT CAUSES THE BREAK. AND INVERSELY THE OTHER WAY. IF WE HAVE TOO MUCH RAIN, IT CAUSES THE WATER TABLE TO RISE UP AND CAUSE EVERYTHING TO BE SLOPPY AND MUDDY. IF THAT HAPPENS TOO MUCH, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER SHIFT IN THE GROUND BECAUSE NOW THE GROUND IS TRYING TO, UM, IS TRYING TO, UH, COMPENSATE FOR ALL OF THE WATER THAT'S IN IT. SO IT'S TRYING TO EXPAND AND WHICH CAUSES WATER LINES AND ANY OTHER THING AROUND THE UTILITIES TO BREAK. AND IT CAUSE THAT STUFF TO SHIFT. AND IF YOU HAVE SO MUCH OF STRESS BACK AND FORTH ON THE SHIFTING OF THE GROUND, IT CAUSES BREAKS IN THE WATER LINE. SO TYPICALLY CUSTOMERS HAVE ISSUES IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MUCH GROUND, DRY GROUND, THEY HAVE A LOT OF WATER BREAKS. WE TYPICALLY, EVEN IN THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, WE GET MORE BREAKS IN THE SUMMERTIME THAN WE DO IN THE, IN THE, UM, IN THE, IN THE, LIKE THE, I GUESS THE SPRING MONTHS. BUT ALSO WHEN WE HAVE WINTER TIME, WHEN WE HAVE FREEZES, FREEZES BREAK WATER LINES AS WELL BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE THE ICE, YOU HAVE ICE, ICE EXPANDS WATER EVEN MORE WHEN IT FREEZES. SO NOW YOU HAVE MORE STRESS ON, ON PIPES, WHICH CAUSES THOSE LINES TO BREAK MORE. GOTCHA. NOW IS THAT WHY WE LIKE TURN THE FAUCETS ON OVERNIGHT WHEN THERE'S A FREEZE TO KEEP THE SO IT DOESN'T PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON IT? SO IT, SO AS A SYSTEM, WE, SO IF YOU HAVE A RAISED HOME, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RUN A SMALL THIN LAYER OF WATER. BUT THAT'S JUST TO STOP YOUR WATER FROM FREEZING IN YOUR PIPES BECAUSE SINCE YOUR HOME IS RAISED, IT'LL ALLOW COLD AIR TO RUN UNDER THE HOUSE AND IF IT'LL FREEZE YOUR LINES AND YOU WON'T HAVE WATER UNTIL IT THAWS. BUT IF YOUR HOUSE IS ON THE SLAB LIKE THIS, ALL WE RECOMMEND YOU DO IS COME AND WRAP THIS PORTION OF THE WATER LINE THAT'S EXPOSED. MM-HMM. UP TO HERE. BUT ONCE THE WATER LINE GOES IN YOUR HOUSE, IT'S INSULATED BY THE WALLS. GOTCHA. SO YOU WON'T, DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FREEZING, BUT IF YOU DON'T WRAP YOUR PIPES ON THE OUTSIDE, IT'S POSSIBLE YOU CAN COME OUTSIDE TO A BIG BALL OF ICE SITTING ON YOUR PIPE AND IT'S GONNA FREEZE YOUR LINE. GOTCHA. OKAY. SO WATER, WATER EXPANDS SO WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT FREEZES, EXPANDS. SO IT IT, IT PUTS STRESS ON THE WATER LINE ON THE INSIDE AS WELL. YOU CAN HAVE A, THE, THE ICE ON THE INSIDE THAT WILL FREEZE AND IT'LL BREAK THE WATER LINE OPEN. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF A WATER TABLE. AND, AND WHAT WATER, ICE HOT DAYS. COLD DAYS CAN HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOUR, ON YOUR OWN WATERLINE AND HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOUR BILL. ALRIGHT, SO THAT WAS, UM, TOILET LEAK. YOU WANNA YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN DO A, LIKE A HOT WATER HEAT, LIKE A REALLY, REALLY FAST LEAK AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WATER'S COMING OUT AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO WATCH THE, UH, LEAK DETECTION SPIN, HOW FAST IT'S SPINNING WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG LEAK IN YOUR HOME. SO THIS SIMULATES AN EXTREME LEAK THAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS. SAY FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE NOT HOME FOR THE DAY. YOUR HOT WATER HEATER BREAKS WHILE YOU'RE GONE. UM, YOU HAVE A BUSTED LINE, YOU KNOW, IN THE BACK OF YOUR HOME OR YOU OR [00:20:01] SOMEBODY, ONE OF THE KIDS LEAVE THE FAUCET ON AND THEY LEAVE THE HOUSE FOR THE DAY. MM-HMM. , THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL SEE WHEN WE COME AND CHECK IT OUT. WE WILL SEE THE CONSTANTLY SPINNING LIKE THIS AND THAT ADDS UP. IF YOU LEAVE A KID LEAVES A FAUCET ON, UM, OR YOU FORGET A FAUCET ON AND YOU LEAVE AND GO HOME, YOU GO TO WORK FOR THE DAY. THAT'S EIGHT HOURS OF WATER JUST WASTED DOWN THE DRAIN THAT'S GONNA REGISTER THROUGH YOUR METER. I MEAN, JUST LIKE WE TELL CUSTOMERS FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAINTY, WE KNOW WATER PASSED THROUGH YOUR METER BECAUSE THIS METER DOES NOT TURN UNLESS WATER IS GOING THROUGH IT. IF AS SOON AS I TELL RODNEY TO STOP AND TURN IT OFF, IT COMPLETELY, IT COMPLETELY STOPS. THIS METER DOES NOT TURN UNLESS WATER GOES THROUGH IT. IT IS NOT POWERED BY ELECTRICITY. IT'S ONLY POWERED BY WATER GOING THROUGH IT. SO THAT'S HOW WE KNOW FOR SURE WHEN THE CUSTOMER SAYS, WE DID NOT USE THIS WATER, BUT WE HAVE PICTURES AND WE HAVE A READING THAT SHOWS, OTHERWISE YOU CAN SAY FOR SURE THAT WATER PASSED THROUGH THE METER. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO KNOW WHERE IT WENT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INSIDE OF THE HOME. WE'RE, WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S SITTING INSIDE THE HOUSE THAT CAN TELL YOU, OH, THE WATER WAS USED HERE. WE JUST KNOW A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT THE WATER PASSED THROUGH THE METER AND IT WENT INTO THE HOME. IT'S THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHERE THE WATER WENT. RIGHT. AND WE, AND WE TRY TO GIVE THEM DIALOGUE ON WHAT THAT COULD BE. CHECK YOUR TOILETS, DO A DYE TEST, UM, YOU KNOW, CHECK YOUR HOT WATER HEATER, CHECK UNDER YOUR SINKS, CHECK YOUR FAUCETS, MAKE SURE NOTHING'S LEAKING. WE GIVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT, UM, CHECKPOINTS TO SEE. MAYBE THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE USE IS JUST SO HIGH. WE GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT METER. SO WE GONNA SEE, IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT, JUST KIND OF A, A SMALL DEMONSTRATION ON, ON READING. SO THIS IS TYPICALLY WHAT A METER READER WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT THROUGH EVERY DAY. BUT, UM, I GUESS I'LL POP THE TOP FOR YOU. I WANT SOMEBODY TO TELL ME WHAT THE READING IS ON THAT METER AND YOU SEE IT SPINNING. 'CAUSE SOMEONE'S ACTUALLY HOME RIGHT NOW AND SEE HOW YOU HAD TO TAKE YOUR FINGER AND WIPE IT OFF. MM-HMM. , WE WERE ACTUALLY HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO AND WIPED IT OFF THEN IN THE, IN THE, IN THE TWO DAYS WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AND WE HAD RAIN. THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT DIRT THAT ACTUALLY WENT OVER THE TOP OF THE GLASS SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. SO JUST IMAGINE YOU GOT TWO MONTHS OF THAT. IT'S 0 1 1 1. SO LOOK AT YOUR, YOUR, UH, READING AND TELL ME WHAT THAT IS. THE NEXT PAGE. OH, IT WAS 91. YES, IT'S 20. OH, IN THE THOUSAND THAT'S 20,000. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S 20,000 USAGE. 20,000. THAT'S CORRECT. MM-HMM. . SO WE, THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WAS, UH, SEPTEMBER 29TH. AND WE'RE GONNA BE HERE AGAIN THE LAST WEEK OF, OF OF NOVEMBER. WOULD YOU SAY 20,000 GALLONS IS WHEN THEY IN THEIR NORMAL RANGE OF USAGE? AS OF RECENTLY? YEAH. BECAUSE THEY JUST MOVED IN NOT SO LONG AGO. MM-HMM. . BUT YOU HAVE THREE CONSISTENT BILLS THAT SHOW THE SAME USAGE. SO YOU WOULD SAY YES, THIS IS WITHIN YOUR NORMAL RANGE OF USAGE. YEAH. SO IF THIS CUSTOMER CALLED AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT SOMEBODY TO CHECK MY METER, YOU WOULD JUST EXPLAIN TO 'EM AND SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THE READING IS CORRECT. YOU ARE WITHIN YOUR NORMAL RANGE OF USAGE. WE DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO COME OUT RIGHT NOW AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THE CUSTOMER IN THAT FASHION AND YOU JUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CALL . SO THAT'S HOW WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW WE BASICALLY . BUT THAT'S HOW WE LOOK AT, THAT'S HOW WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. WE DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS TO KNOW IF SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH SOMEBODY'S READING OR NOT. AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE CREATURES OF HABIT AND WE HAVE TWO POEM THAT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT THEIR USAGE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. RIGHT. SO YOU HAVE ONE THAT AVERAGES ABOUT 20,000 GALLONS AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT WAS WHAT, SIX OR SIX MM-HMM. , YOU KNOW, SO IT, YOU CAN'T SAY, OH WELL MY NEIGHBOR BILL DID X, Y, AND Z. RIGHT? IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK THAT WAY. UH, IT MATTERS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THE HOME. WHAT ARE YOUR HABITS? UM, AS SYDNEY LIKES TO SAY, WE'RE, WE'RE CREATURES OF HABIT. YOU KNOW, WE WAKE UP THE SAME TIME WE USE WATER IN THE MORNING, WE USE WATER IN THE EVENING. AND IT WOULD ALSO, UM, CREATURES A HABIT WHEN IT COMES TO SEASON. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE USE MORE WATER DURING THE SUMMERTIMES, WHETHER YOU ARE HOSTING EVENTS AT YOUR HOMES AND THINGS, FILLING OUT POOLS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN IT COMES TO UM, WATER CONSUMPTION. ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? I DO WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ON ONE OF Y'ALL. WHO WANTS THE FIRST QUESTION? GAME GAME SHOW? WHO WANTS THE FIRST QUESTION? ? UH, WHAT'S THIS FOR? SO, OKAY, SO Y'ALL CAN TOUCH ON THAT. THAT'S MY QUESTION. SO THIS IS THE WIRE . THIS IS CALLED THE, UH, T WIRE. IT'S AN ELECTRONIC READING TRANSMITTER. OKAY. ELECTRONIC READING TRANSMITTER IS A ERT WIRE, A ERT WIRE. SO IF YOU WAS TO LOOK ON THE FRONT SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE A SECTION THAT SAYS, UM, YOU SHOULD SEE A SECTION THAT SAYS ERT, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. BUT ANYWAY, UM, SO THIS IS A WIRE, THIS, THIS ACTUALLY TRANSMITS TO AN ANTENNA. SO WHEN [00:25:01] WE, WHEN WE SWITCH OVER TO THE A MI METERS, UM, IT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE A READING FROM THIS MANUAL, READ FROM THIS REGISTER RIGHT HERE. MM-HMM AND TRANSMIT IT TO THE ANTENNA AND THEN THE ANTENNA'S GONNA SEND IT BACK TO OUR BUILDING. OH. AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A REAL TIME READ READING ON THE METER WITHOUT SENDING SOMEBODY OUT HERE TO CHECK IT. AND WE'LL BE GETTING REAL TIME USAGE ON THE, ON THE HISTORY OF THE METER. SO IT'S, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ANTENNA THAT, THAT'S THE WIRE THAT CONNECTS THE METER TO THE ANTENNA. OKAY. SO THEN, OKAY. AND THAT'S GONNA BE FOR THE NEW A MI PROJECT THAT WE, THAT WE'RE DOING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHO WANTS, WHO'S FIRST YOU GO WITH THIS. I WANT YOU TO POINT TO ME WHERE A CURB STOP IS ONE HERE. WHERE'S THE METER COUPLING? RIGHT HERE. WHERE CAN I, YOU YOU RIGHT? YEAH. WHERE, WHERE CAN I FIND THE METER NUMBER? INSIDE THE CAP ON TOP OF IT. AND ON THE SIDE OF THE METER. WHERE'S THE LEAK DETECTION? UH, RIGHT HERE. THE RED. ALL RIGHT. WHERE'S THE, UM, WHERE'S THE SERVICE LINE THAT COMES IN FROM THE CITY GOING TOWARDS THE STREET. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD JOB, . ALRIGHT, WELL THANK Y'ALL. HELPFUL. THANK YOU. WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE Y'ALL A BETTER INSIGHT WHEN Y'ALL TALKING TO CUSTOMERS. AND SO WHEN Y'ALL TELLING THEM, YOU KNOW, WHERE STUFF IS LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY OR TELLING THEM WHERE TO GO TO THE STOP AND WASTE OR WE ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO COME OUT HERE AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE LEAK DETECTION, SEE IF SOMETHING'S RUNNING IN THEIR HOUSE. 'CAUSE THEY KNOW BETTER THAN US WHETHER THEY'RE USING WATER OR NOT. SO IF THEY SEE THE SPINNING AND THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT USING WATER, THEN LIKELY HAVE A LEAK IN THE HOUSE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.